Tripod.



No. 663,535. Patented Dec. ll, I900. J. F. ESSNER & J. K. LOVE.

T R l P O D.

(Applicatiop filed Apr.

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J. F. ESSNER & J. K. LOVE.

TRIPOD.

(Application filed Apr. 26. 1800.) (No Model.) 2 sham-sheet 2.

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A TTOR/VEYS w/r/vmsm Ml JOHN F. ESSNER AND JOHN K. LOVE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

TRIPOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 663,535, dated December 11, 1900.

Application filed April 26, 1900. fierial No. 14,381. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN F. ESSNER and JOHN K. LOVE, citizens of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tripods, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tripods for cameras and similar instruments; and the object thereof is to provide a tripod which is collapsible by means of the ready detachment and folding of its several parts in the manner hereinafter described.

Our invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which like reference characters denote like parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section and cut away transversely, of a tripod constructed according to our invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of the central portion of a tripod constructed according to our invention; Fig. 3, a section of Fig. 5 upon the line 3 3 thereof; Fig. 4, a section of Fig. 5 upon the line 4 4 thereof; and Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the several parts embodied therein relatively detached.

In the practice of our invention We provide three main supports 6, 7, and 8, which are bifurcated in the customary manner, and three supplemental supports 9, 10, and 11, which are respectively foldably connected therewith in a manner hereinafter described. The support 6 is pivoted at its upper end at 12 to a top plate 13, which is provided with a segmental head 14, which head is relatively of less transverse dimension than the plate 13, the plate 13 being reduced in thickness at 13 to form said head 14, which is preferably integral with said plate.

Secured beneath the plate 13 is a bottom plate 15, which projects beneath the head 14 and is of similar contour, but the edge portion of which projects beyond the edge portion of the head 13, as clearly shown in Figs.

3 and 4 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The threaded shank 16 of a thumb-screw 17 is 13 and head 14 thereof by means of the thumbscrew 17.

Secured beneath the plate 15 at 18 is an angularly-projecting finger 19, which operates between annular shoulders 20, formed upon the thumb-screw 17, maintaining the samein fixed position relative to the plate 13, when the shank 16 thereof is turned to operatively connect the instrument-body with the plate 13. The head 14 and plate 15 are connected adjacent their outer ends by a stud 21, and the plate 15 is longitudinally slotted at either side of its longitudinal central portion, as shown at 22 in Fig. 4, and secured to the plate 15 at 23, adjacent each of said slotted portions 22, is a spring-catch 24, the outer end whereof has a free movement and is provided with a head 25, which projects from one face thereof, being struck up from the same.

Each of the main supports '7 and 8 is pivotally secured to a top plate, respectively 26 and 27, at 28, and each of said top plates 26 and 27 is provided with a head 29, the thickness of which is decreased with relation to the respective plate, this construct-ion being provided by shouldering the respective plate at 30, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

Each of the heads 29 is provided with converging outer edges 31, the point of convergence of which is segmeutally recessed at 32, whereby when both of saidv heads 29 are arranged edge to edge and passed between the head 14 and the plate 15 thereunder said segmentally-recessed portions 32 will engage and partially embrace the shank 16 of the thumb screw 17, and each of said edges 31 is segmentaily recessed at 33, whereby with the parts in the last-mentioned position said recessed portions 33 will engage and embrace the stud 21, by which the head 14 and the plate 13 are connected. WVith the parts in this position the heads 29 will each with one edge engage the shouldered portion 13 of the plate 13, and the heads 29 will thus be held firmly from lateral movement. Each of the heads is provided at a predetermined point with a circular transverse slot 34, which, with the parts in the last-mentioned position, re-

ceives one of the heads of one of the springcatches, and the heads 29 and plates 26 and 27 are thus firmly locked to the plate 13, consequently locking the main supports 6, 7, and 8 in operative connection at their upper ends. It is manifest that to relatively detach the supports 6, 7, and 8 and the respective plates 13, 26, and 27 it is only necessary to firmly grasp each of the plates 26 and 27 and withdraw it from its position, as shown in Fig. 2, in a line radially of the head 14. This operation will unseat the heads 25 from the slots 34, and the plates 26 and 27 may thus be readily detached from the plate 13, allowing the supports 6, 7, and 8 to be placed together in small compass.

The support 6 is connected with the support 9, the support 7 with the support 10, and the support 8 with the support 11 in the manner shown in Fig. 1 in the sectioned portion there of, said three sets of supports embodying each the same pivotal connecting construction.

Referring to Fig. 1, we have shown at 35 a closed metal casing, in which the upper end of each of the supplemental supports 9, l0, and 11 is housed, and said casing 35 is provided with angular side flanges 36, which, with the supports in relatively-extended position, as shown in Fig. 1, embrace the members of the respective main supports 6, 7, orS.

The casing 35 embodies a supplemcn tal casing36,which is arranged between the members of the respective supplemental supports 9,

10, orll, and connected with said supplemen- ;construction and arrangement of parts heretal casing 36 at the lower end thereof are laterally-directed bearing-pins 37, which project through the members of the respective supplemental support, and upon the outer ends of which are pivotally mounted the members of the respective main support. The

members of-the respective supplemental sup- 1 ments, embodying a central portion comprising a plurality of plates, with each of which ions of the supports is pivotally connected, 1 one of said plates. being provided with a sup- 3 plemental plate which is secured thereto and j spaced therefrom, whereby the others of said 1 plates maybe passed between said first-na med plate and said supplemental plate, and means port are chambered at a predetermined point 38, the opposite sidesof the supplemental casing 36 being cut away, andcommunicating with said chambers and mounted in the supplemental casing 36, audin thechambers 38isa locking-head 39, which in vertical transverse section is triangular in form and provided with a thumb-piece 40, which projects from the apex thereof and operates slidably through a suitable opening in the top of the supplemental casing 36. The locking-head 39 is provided at its lower end with a centrally-arranged projection 40, and one end of a coiled spring 41 is passed about the projection 40*, the other end of said spring resting upon the lower end of the supplemental casing 36, whereby the locking-head is normally maintained in elevated position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. Locking-pins 42 are laterally and slidably mounted in the chambers 38 and in sleeves 43, one of which is arranged in each of the members of the respective supplemental support, and the outer ends of the locking-pins 42 operate in connection with scmispherical concavities 44, wherein they are normally retained by the lockinghead 39, said concavities 44 being formed by striking up portions of metal plates 45, which are secured to'the members of the respective main support.

The inner ends of the locking-pins 42 are provided with beveled heads 46, in connect-ion with which operate the sides of the locking- 1 head 39, the formation and arrangement of parts being such that the locking-head 39 upon rising under pressure of the spring 41 forces said locking-pins 42 laterally into the concavities 44 when the respective main and supplemental supports are in relatively-er tended or normal operative position.

It is manifest thatby depressing the the micpiece 40 the locking-head 39 may be lowered against resistance of the spring 41, and the respective supplementalsupport may be pivoted upon the bearing-pins 37, the lockingpins 42 being readily forced from their seats in the concavities 44, which operation is due to the form of said concavities, as above described. Each of the supplemental supports may thus be folded in approximate parallelism with the respective main support, and as the several main supports may be relatively disconnected, as herein initially described,

each of the main supports compactly folded with its respective supplementalsupport may be packed separately for transportation or storage, or all of the main supports and. the

respective supplemental supports may be bunched together in small compass.

We do not limit ourselves to the specific in described, but reserve the right to vary the same within the scope of our invention.

Having fully described our invention, we

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A tripod for cameras and similarinstrufor locking said plates together, substantially as shown and described.

2. A tripod for cameras and similar instruments, embodying a central portion comprisiing a plurality of plates, with each of which one of the supports is pivotally connected,

one of said platesbeing provided with a sup plemental plate which is secured thereto and 1 spaced therefrom, whereby the others of said plates may be passedbetween said first-named plate and said supplemental plate, means for locking said plates together, and devices connected with one of said plates, and whereby the instrument-body is secured in. position upon said plates, substantially as shown and described.

3. A tripod for cameras and other instruments, embodying a central portion with which the several supports are connected,said central portion comprising three members, one of which consists of a plate with which one of said supports is connected, and a supplemental plate secu red thereto, and the outer end portion of which is spaced therefrom, the others of said members each consisting of a plate the outer end portions of which are of diminished thickness and formed to be passed between the plates of said first-named member, being provided with shoulders which are engaged with the periphery of one of the plates of said first-named member, the plates of said first-named member being connected by a stud, and the outer ends of said other members being recessed at their edges to embrace said stud, and means for locking said members together, substantially as shown and described.

4. A tripod for cameras and other instruments, embodying a central portion with which the several supports are con nected,said central portion comprisinga plurality of members, one of said members consisting of two spaced plates which are connected together, and between which the others of said members, each of which consists of a plate, are passed, said first-named member being provided with a plurality of spring-actuated look ing devices, and said second-named members being provided each with a recessed portion in connection with which one of said locking devices operates, and whereby said members are securely locked together, substantially as shown and described.

5. A tripod for cameras and other instruments, embodying a main support and a supplemental support, said main support being bifurcated, said supplemental support being pivotally connected with the lower end of said main support and being provided with flanges which when the parts are in relative and extended position,engage and embrace the lower portions of said bifurcated main support, a casing mounted upon the upper end of said supplemental support and between the parts thereof, a spring-actuated locking-head s1id= ably mounted in said casing, a locking-pin slidably mounted in said supplemental support laterally of said casing and arranged to operate in connection with the lower end of said main support, the relative construction and arrapgementof parts being such that said locking-head causes the engagement of said locking-pin with said main support, said locking-head being provided with a thumb-piece whereby the same may be depressed to allow said main support and said supplemental support to be folded together, substantially as shown and described.

6. A tripod for cameras and similar instrum ents, embodying a central portion, comprising a plurality of plates, with each of which one of the supports is pivotally connected, one of said plates being provided with a supplemental plate which is secured thereto and spaced therefrom, whereby the others of said plates may be passed between said first-named plate and said supplemental plate,and spring catches which are secured to said plate which is provided with said supplemental plate, and which operate through slots formed in said supplemental plate, to engage said plates which are passed between said supplemental plate and the plate with which the same is connected, to lock said plates together, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we have signed our names, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 24th day of March, 1900.

JOHN F. ESSNER. JOHN K. LOVE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. lWIoNEIL, LoUIs A. ESSNER. 

